The Washington critic., 1887-11-30
WASHINGTON, NOV. 80, 1887.
PHYSICAL CULTURE.

PHNSICAL CULTURE.
The Decay Of Bodily Strength in
Towns" Is the subject Of an article by
Lord Brabazon In the Nineteenth Cen
tury." Its peculiar significance consists
In the fact that II Is written by an En-
glishman, Of the English people, and Is
n striking confession Of their growing
physical degeneracy especially among
the urban populations.
The article is also of interest rs show.
Ing the Importance which now more
than ever before Is attached by thought
full educators to the subject Of physical
training In the schools.
The writer acknowledges that 1t is
somewhat difficult, to furnish statistical
proof OF what TO his mind is self
evident proposition, but he finds what
ought to be strong corroborative proof
Of 1t in the difficulty experienced by
recruiting officers for the British army
In finding men who come up to the
proper physical standard. II is stated
that Of G4 900 men who were enlisted
In 1884. 10000 were rejected on this
account.
More recently the director of the
Liverpool Gymnasium, while giving
course of instruction to the soldiers at
Aldershot. was surprised to find that
many of them were unable to raise
their bodies by the strength Of their
arms until their chins were level with
the bar"-a feat that every American
school boy of ordinarily good health
and active habits laughs ut for Its sim.
pllcity.
That Lord Wolseley recognizes the
gravity of the situation" continues the
writer, Is shown by his appeal to the
authorities ITO supply him with men
with large chests instead of large
heads" But there is no reason why
large heads, that is In the sense Of
heads well equipped with brains, and
large chests should not so together.
Lord Brabazon informs us that statls.
tics are not necessary to satisfy him Of
the truth Of his position. His observa-
tion In London and other large cities Of
the classes growing up In the schools
and ON the streets, to become the future
strength Of the kingdom as the pro.
moters Of Its welfare in peace and
Its defenders In war. convinces him
Of the generally deterioratIng ef-
fects Of city life where no counter.
acting agencies are mustered into
service, and that pressing need exists
for educational and sanitary reforms.
He even deems II advisable that Royal
Commission be appointed to inquire
into the physical condition of the peo.
pie, and recommend measures for the
remedy of an evil that will otherwise
lead to degeneration of the race and
to national effacement
These seem to be almost the views Of
an alarmist. Yet when II is taken into
consideration that Germany long since
nationallzed her system of gymnastic
training; that even France, smarting
under sense Of physical inferiority to
her old enemy, is waking to the i'm
portauce of like methods Of develop.
ment, and that nearly all the European
nations. with the exception of Great
Britain, recognize their value, Lord
Brabazon may not be so far out Of the
way In his fears and prognostications.
Similar physical conditions to those
observed In London are to be found In
nearly all dense populations, even 10
this country; and their consequences
should be forestalled as far as possible
by better sanitary regulations aud @
more fairly proportioned combination
Of physical with intellectual education
in our public schools. The invigora'
tion Of the body should be given equal
weight with the equipment Of the
mind.
The establishment Of industrial
schools win be gain In the right di.
rection, but .,vmnastics and callsthenics
are sdjuncts aid accessories to the cur
riculum, In the benefits of which entire
generations Of the youth Of both sexes
may be made to participate, and which
cannot be too earnestly encouraged ol
I'm Ithara11v nrnvidad for